U.S. forces completed the successful test of a next-generation defense system, by knocking out an incoming ballistic missile near Hawaii on Wednesday.
The Navy’s interceptor program is designed to protect the U.S. and its allies from potential missile attacks from the likes of Iran and North Korea.
"This next-generation variant of the SM-3 is critical to the ballistic missile defense of the U.S. and our allies, because it can defeat the more sophisticated threats emerging around the world today," said Dr. Taylor Lawrence, Raytheon Missile Systems president.

Interesting, they've successfully integrated the SM-3 with the Army's THAAD radar and fire control,architecture. Not to nitpick, but I believe this is going to be operated by the Army, not the Navy.
There is another related program called AEGIS Ashore which uses the SM-3 and the SPY-1 radar used on DDGs and CGs which will constitute the land-based BMD component in Europe. Nice to know there's an,alternative sitting in the wings.

Interesting, they've successfully integrated the SM-3 with the Army's THAAD radar and fire control,architecture. Not to nitpick, but I believe this is going to be operated by the Army, not the Navy.
There is another related program called AEGIS Ashore which uses the SM-3 and the SPY-1 radar used on DDGs and CGs which will constitute the land-based BMD component in Europe. Nice to know there's an,alternative sitting in the wings.

Speaking as the Aegis Sailor here Kuma this has nothing to do with the THAAD system and it is certainly not going to be operated by the Army. It will be operated by the Navy FC rating. The big problem with Aegis Ashore is that it can cause a bid red ass with our Russian buddies and that is why the program in Europe is very much ship centric.

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Give me a fast ship and the wind at my back for I intend to sail in harms way! (John Paul Jones)

Speaking as the Aegis Sailor here Kuma this has nothing to do with the THAAD system and it is certainly not going to be operated by the Army. It will be operated by the Navy FC rating. The big problem with Aegis Ashore is that it can cause a bid red ass with our Russian buddies and that is why the program in Europe is very much ship centric.

..as i think it should Chief, much more flexible that way and also avoids giving Putin ammunition to hit over the head repeatedly Western defence chiefs too....

..as i think it should Chief, much more flexible that way and also avoids giving Putin ammunition to hit over the head repeatedly Western defence chiefs too....

Ah yes, our boy Vlad Darren; he is quite a chap is he not? Stalin light? Every time that I feel bad about American politicians all I have to do is think about guys like Vlad and Hugo and I thank God for the Constitution.

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Give me a fast ship and the wind at my back for I intend to sail in harms way! (John Paul Jones)

Speaking as the Aegis Sailor here Kuma this has nothing to do with the THAAD system and it is certainly not going to be operated by the Army. It will be operated by the Navy FC rating. The big problem with Aegis Ashore is that it can cause a bid red ass with our Russian buddies and that is why the program in Europe is very much ship centric.

Bass_Man86, this is how I see things.
The Phased Adaptive Approach (i.e. Euro Missile Shield) is to be implemented in phases:
PHASE 1 - Ship-based BMD via AEGIS/SM-3 by 2011
PHASE 2 - AEGIS Ashore in Romania by 2015
PHASE 3 - AEGIS Ashore in Poland by 2018
Succeeding phases will incorporate the more capable SM-3 blk II

So ship-based BMD is only the first step and was actually a nifty maneuver to sidestep Russian objections to what Pres.Bush originally wanted, the very expensive and long-range Ground Based Interceptor (GBI) built by Boeing. This is the missile that really upset the Russians who perceived it as a big threat as it could reach deep into Russian territory and, theoretically, could be armed with a nuke warhead converting it into a MRBM right in Russia's front yard.

By replacing GBI with a SM-3 Blk I with a 300 mile range perhaps 1/5th that of GBI), they placated the Russians. Of course, when SM-3 Blk II with it's enhanced range becomes available, expect the Russians to throw another tantrum.

Work on AEGIS Ashore is ongoing and once, deployed it is expected that the Navy will operate it. It remains to be seen if THAAD/SM-3 will develop into an actual operational capability though the successful test would seem to indicate it's potential. If it did materialize, it would be reasonable to expect the Army to operate it as THAAD is their baby.

....Raytheon officials are working on how to integrate a land-based SM-3 into the existing radar and fire-control architecture for the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) units being purchased by the Army. Booen says the company has integrated SM-3 flyout tables into the Thaad fire-control software and demonstrated the ability for Thaad’s systems to generate an accurate firing solution and launch command.

Interaction with the Thaad’s AN/TPY-2 X-band radar would require a new data link for the SM-3, says Pete Franklin, Raytheon vice president of national and theater security programs; SM-3 now operates with the ship-based Aegis AN/SPY-1 S-band system. Booen says the next priority is to conduct pole tests of a data link for S- and X-band operations. MDA’s O’Reilly says he is considering land bases for the Aegis radar and fire-control architecture for the SM-3 option, though no decisions have yet been mad

Bass_Man86, this is how I see things.
The Phased Adaptive Approach (i.e. Euro Missile Shield) is to be implemented in phases:
PHASE 1 - Ship-based BMD via AEGIS/SM-3 by 2011
PHASE 2 - AEGIS Ashore in Romania by 2015
PHASE 3 - AEGIS Ashore in Poland by 2018
Succeeding phases will incorporate the more capable SM-3 blk II

So ship-based BMD is only the first step and was actually a nifty maneuver to sidestep Russian objections to what Pres.Bush originally wanted, the very expensive and long-range Ground Based Interceptor (GBI) built by Boeing. This is the missile that really upset the Russians who perceived it as a big threat as it could reach deep into Russian territory and, theoretically, could be armed with a nuke warhead converting it into a MRBM right in Russia's front yard.

By replacing GBI with a SM-3 Blk I with a 300 mile range perhaps 1/5th that of GBI), they placated the Russians. Of course, when SM-3 Blk II with it's enhanced range becomes available, expect the Russians to throw another tantrum.

Work on AEGIS Ashore is ongoing and once, deployed it is expected that the Navy will operate it. It remains to be seen if THAAD/SM-3 will develop into an actual operational capability though the successful test would seem to indicate it's potential. If it did materialize, it would be reasonable to expect the Army to operate it as THAAD is their baby.

....Raytheon officials are working on how to integrate a land-based SM-3 into the existing radar and fire-control architecture for the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) units being purchased by the Army. Booen says the company has integrated SM-3 flyout tables into the Thaad fire-control software and demonstrated the ability for Thaad’s systems to generate an accurate firing solution and launch command.

Interaction with the Thaad’s AN/TPY-2 X-band radar would require a new data link for the SM-3, says Pete Franklin, Raytheon vice president of national and theater security programs; SM-3 now operates with the ship-based Aegis AN/SPY-1 S-band system. Booen says the next priority is to conduct pole tests of a data link for S- and X-band operations. MDA’s O’Reilly says he is considering land bases for the Aegis radar and fire-control architecture for the SM-3 option, though no decisions have yet been mad

Please don't get me wrong as that is a great post, but from a purely political standpoint I really do not see this program transitioning ashore anytime soon; at least not outside of CONUS. Considering the current emphasis on Seabasing I am pretty certain that it will remain ship based and if it stays on a ship the Army will not get near it; those bubbas get seasick at the mere mention of the word wave. On a serious level the Army will not be funded nearly as well as the Navy in the future and the fact is that the Navy has a heck of a lot more experience with surface to air missiles anyway. Is there going to be some Army involvement? Quite possible, the question is how much. I for one am betting that this is going to be primarily a Navy baby.

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Give me a fast ship and the wind at my back for I intend to sail in harms way! (John Paul Jones)

Please don't get me wrong as that is a great post, but from a purely political standpoint I really do not see this program transitioning ashore anytime soon; at least not outside of CONUS. Considering the current emphasis on Seabasing I am pretty certain that it will remain ship based and if it stays on a ship the Army will not get near it; those bubbas get seasick at the mere mention of the word wave. On a serious level the Army will not be funded nearly as well as the Navy in the future and the fact is that the Navy has a heck of a lot more experience with surface to air missiles anyway. Is there going to be some Army involvement? Quite possible, the question is how much. I for one am betting that this is going to be primarily a Navy baby.

Fair enough.. we shall see how things unfold specially with Sequestration hanging like
,Damocles Sword over everyone's head.

Mobile land based systems in Europe make more sense to me than the silo based GBI. The whole thing has a somewhat tenuous political underpinning and I'd rather deploy gear we can pack up and reuse elsewhere than an expensive permanent installation that becomes a camping ground for the Green Party if our political allies loose an election.

(Just sayin' )

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Any metaphor will tear if stretched over too much reality.

Here's a couple of interesting and informative videos highlighting the BMDS capabilities including implementation of the Euro Missile Shield. A really good introduction to the progress being made .. Good stuff.